Cyclone Asani: Rains bring respite in Tamil Nadu; Vizag, Chennai see flight cancellations

Heavy overnight rains lashed Chennai and its neighbourhoods on Tuesday, bringing respite to citizens from the scorching May temperatures.

CHENNAI: Severe cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ in the Bay of Bengal has hit flight operations with several airlines canceling flights in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam and Tamil Nadu’s Chennai on Tuesday.

Heavy overnight rains lashed Chennai and its neighbourhoods on Tuesday, bringing respite to citizens from the scorching May temperatures.

Sharp showers that started in the wee hours of Tuesday continued in the morning here, impacting office-goers, even as some low-lying areas suffered due to water stagnation.

Heavy rains lashed other parts of the state including Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Erode districts.

The Met Department has predicted light to moderate rainfall across parts of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with the probability of the severe cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ recurving.

Visakhapatnam International Airport director Srinivas said that IndiGo has cancelled 23 flights, both arrivals, and departures, citing bad weather.

“Four Air Asia flights also stand cancelled due to bad weather at Vizag for the day,” he added.

At the Chennai airport, 10 flights including those from Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur and Mumbai have been cancelled.

As per the Chennai Airport Authority, information regarding cancellation was conveyed to the passengers yesterday.

Duty Officer at the Cyclone Warning Centre of Visakhapatnam, Kumar said that severe cyclonic storm Asani is over the west-central region and the adjoining southwest region of Bay of Bengal.

“It is 330 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam Likely to move further northwest till tonight, thereafter it’ll recurve,” he added.

Further, Kumar informed that rainfall is likely over northern Andhra Pradesh including Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday predicted rainfall and strong winds for three states; Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.

“It is very likely to move nearly northwestwards till May 10 night and reach Westcentral Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh coast and adjoining Odisha coast. Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts. It is likely to weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm during the next the 24 hours,” the IMD said.

The Met department has predicted light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha from today evening.

For tomorrow, May 11, the IMD predicted light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha and adjoining coastal West Bengal.

Gale wind speed reaching 95-105 km per hour gusting to 115 km per hour is prevailing around the system centre over Westcentral and adjoining the southwest Bay of Bengal.

“It would gradually decrease becoming 80-90 km per hour gusting to 100 km per hour over Westcentral and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal from the evening. Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely along and off north Andhra Pradesh coast,” IMD said.

During the past six hours, the severe cyclonic storm ‘Asani’, over Westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 7 km per hour during past six hours and lay centre today over the west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal at 330 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 350 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 510 km south-southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 590 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha), informed IMD.